


Sweet Villain

by cardandkieran



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Unplanned Pregnancy, cardan is a bastard, heart broken jude, jude cries a lot, prepare your heart for this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-14 09:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18050306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cardandkieran/pseuds/cardandkieran
Summary: *** TWK SPOILERS AHEAD ***the day she got back to elfhameand with some surprises





	1. Chapter 1

Jude came into Cardan's room making a scene worthy of watch. There was no guard able to stop her, no one could prevent her from ending his party and pouring all her anger at the High King of Faerie.

There he was, sitting on the couch, flattering Nicasia. 

Nicasia, who had been allowed to remain in Elfhame as an ambassador. Nicasia, who was desperately trying to climb onto his bed.

Jude noticed how he was no longer wearing his colorful, flamboyant clothes and jewels. Cardan was all in black, as if in mourning.

Well, she would certainly give a reason for the whole court to wear black for many months if she managed to get to him.

 

When he saw her standing at the door of his chambers, Cardan rose at once, his face frightened. Her gaze was pure hatred and thirst for revenge.

He took a few steps back.

Jude walked across the room.

 

Every step she gave her heart was beating harder. Jude was partially blind. She could not see the other people in the room anymore, she could not see Nicasia screaming at Cardan, demanding explanations. She only saw him, like a pulsating force pulling her.

It was then that Cardan made his fatal mistake.

He glanced at her belly, just for a few seconds.

Jude's anger exploded.

He knew.

He knew and yet he exiled her.

Her step increased.

 

The guards overtook her before she could get to him. Cardan moved. 

“No! Do not hurt her!” he shouted, pointing his finger at them. They didn’t know but he did. He would let her kill him if it meant she would be unharmed. 

 

Jude caught up with him in seconds, closing her hand around his neck and dragging him back with a force she did not even know she had. She smacked Cardan's head on the wall, still holding his neck, not strong enough to choke him, but it would hurt for sure. 

“I'm going to fucking kill you, you bastard”. 

She tightened her grip on his neck and Cardan's eyes widened, for the first time showing pure fear. 

 

Jude had lost herself.

He glanced at the guards, who approached and grabbed Jude from behind, pulling her away from him without hurting her. He lifted his hand to his neck, relieved to breathe again.

Jude struggled to get rid of the two guards who held her, but none of them let her go. She spat on the floor in front of him, the look on her face almost able to open holes in the King's skin.

“Coward” she said. 

Cardan looked around the room, at all the people staring at them. Especially Nicasia, the Undersea's ambassador, who would certainly want to get satisfaction from Jude's return.

“Everyone out now” he ordered “The guards may remain”. 

Jude laughed scornfully, making her seem even more mad. Her eyes were shining and she looked at him with such ferocity that made him shiver. 

"Cardan..." she began, her voice suddenly soft but her eyes still filled with hatred. "Are you afraid of me?"

That hit him. He remembered asking her that during the only time they had sex. He remembered the teasing on his voice back then, but Jude now was not teasing him. 

He motioned for the guards to let go, but they still stood beside her on guard.

“Jude…” he started, still uncertain of what to say, of how to explain himself. “What I did…”

“Oh, I know very well what you did and why you did it. Don’t need to explain, husband. I had plenty of time to think about your reasons”. 

She laughed again, in a way that made Cardan's whole body shiver. He felt as if he no longer recognized the person in front of him, as if only that one month in exile had completely changed her.

 

Jude approached a few steps slowly, getting closer to him as she spoke.

”But guess what... Not a single one of your motives made my exile more bearable”. 

Jude pushed him hard against the wall again, pointing a finger to Cardan's face as she spoke.

“I'm not you backup plan. That's not what you promised me when we wed” she screamed “I was not made Queen to stay away in safety while you ruled. I am not a thing to stay still and be prepared to take you place in case you die”. 

She got even closer, their noses almost touching

“And I was not made Queen to spit out children just to secure your reign”. 

She smirked seeing the fear all over his face. She missed this. She missed the power she had over him. 

“Does my father know what you did?”

His expression could tell her already. Madoc had no idea. 

 

Cardan caught her hand pointing to his face, and Jude straightened even more. Even with anger, even with hatred, his touch still gave her sensations she wanted to forget and he knew it. 

"I had only two options, my dear Jude. Handle you to Orlagh and watch her kill you, or punish you myself. If I just ignored what you did, we would be at war. And we lost half of the army” He stroked the knuckles of her hand gently as he spoke. “At least with me being the punisher, I was able to guarantee that there was a breach”.

 

Jude closed her eyes, the pain filling her again. Cardan did not say anything she did not already know, and that didn’t make the pain of being betrayed something bearable.

“You left me to rot there, Cardan. You did it knowing about the pregnancy" she said, her voice not as firm as she wanted.

Now that the wave of anger had passed, all that remained was her broken heart to speak for her.

“It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my miserable life, my dear Jude”. 

The guards silently left the room when they realized the direction the conversation had taken. Jude finally let the tears fall, unable to bear all that mixture of feeling inside her.

Rage. Anguish. Fear.

She had never been so afraid.

Afraid that her theory about being the crown and forgiving herself was wrong. Afraid to find Faerie destroyed when she returned. Afraid that her suspicions about Cardan's motives were wrong. Afraid of being humiliated again.

And most of all, she was afraid of what was to come, now that she was pregnant.

“You could have told me” she whispered, too tired to fight with him.

Jude went sick for a whole month until finally Vivi admitted that her scent was different, she just did not know why. They both thought she might have picked up some human disease because of the sudden change, and by the time they got to the doctor they discovered that, well... Jude was pregnant.

Cardan had probably been able to recognize it right away.

"Would you have left If I warned you?"

He got closer and hugged her, and Jude let herself be hugged, after all those weeks feeling lonely. No, it would not repair her broken heart nor regain her confidence, but at least she had someone to share the burden with. At least she had someone as responsible for that mess as she was.

“If you ever betray me again” she murmured, her head buried in his neck “I will never let you meet this child”. 

 

Cardan leaned his head on top of hers, stroking Jude's hair lightly. He had missed her so much. That ferocity.

"My sweet villain" he murmured, his voice almost a sigh. "I do not think I have the strength to ever send you away again”.


	2. Chapter 2

"I can guarantee a position of power for you. You can be our seneschal”. 

I'm talking to Madoc, who's sitting in front of me. He betrayed the kingdom more than a month ago, the night before my exile, taking half the army with him. Now, on the verge of a war with Orlagh, we need him more than ever before.

And Madoc knows that.

That is why it is so difficult to negotiate with him. He has the advantage in this bargain and will take every advantage he can get.

"And what authority do you have to promise me that?"

"I am the Queen of Elfhame, if you have forgotten" I say.

Madoc rolls his eyes at me. I feel like a kid trying to argue with my father. And, actually, I know that's how he sees me. A child in power.

I get up from my chair at the top of the table, walking slowly to him. A few weeks have passed since I came back, and now I am almost four months pregnant. The nausea is horrible, and Madoc does not know about my situation. So I make the slightest movement not to vomit during the meeting.

"I want you out of power" he says before I can reach him.

I stop halfway.

Cardan told me that only I would be able to bring Madoc back to our side. He said that he believed in me to negotiate. And I really was willing to give in to my father's whims.

But everything had a limit.

“I cannot”

He raises an eyebrow, analyzing me as if I really were his opponent. I want to shout at him that we are on the same side, that if he cooperates with me, our family will be forever in power. And if he doesn’t, there will be no throne in the end. 

"And why not, my dear daughter?”

I take a deep breath, feeling my whole body shake suddenly. I've had these crises since I got back, whenever there's a lot of pressure on me. I close my eyes trying to calm myself, trying to think of anything good, any memory that brings me joy.

I think of Oak, happy and safe in the mortal world, and it calms me down a bit.

“Because I'm pregnant, father.” I say finally.

Madoc is speechless.

He looks from my face to my belly, finally realizing what I've been trying to hide. Wide dresses and strong perfumes are part of my daily life. Neither I nor Cardan find it safe to announce anything like my pregnancy when we are on the verge of war.

I'm an easy target for being both mortal and Queen. If Orlagh even consider the possibility of another heir, I will not have peace.

"Jude..." he says, hesitating. Madoc sighs and, to my surprise, extends a hand to me.

And I accept, even if he has not yet agreed to return to our side. I did not report the pregnancy to try to convince him, but now that I have said it, I hope it will make him change his mind.

"Not a good time to be pregnant," he says, his voice a little sad.

Madoc has been a military commander for years. He knows what they will do to me when I can no longer hide, he knows how all Undersea forces will turn on me. I see, at that moment, that his emotional side speaks louder.

He will not let me die.

"I know" I agree, still holding his hand. "That's why I was in exile. But I can not hide forever, father, just as Cardan could not avoid this war forever”. 

He nods and I am seized by a spark of hope.

"If I agree to the bargain, I want Oak back to Elfhame. And I want Cardan's promise that he will abdicate in favor of your brother” he demands “and as long as he does not reach the age of majority, I will be a seneschal”. 

I agree, even though it hurts. Everything I did for Oak to be created far from the treacherous tongues of Faerie collapses.

"You'll have to swear allegiance to the crown again. This is not negotiable”. 

Madoc stands still for a few seconds, and then finally agrees.

"I will swear allegiance to you." He kisses my hand, the hand that holds my wedding ring, and my eyes fill with tears “My daughter, and my Queen”. 

 

When I finally enter my room it is almost daytime, and I am exhausted. My feet ache for standing most of the night, and my stomach twists, even though I have not eaten anything yet.

I am angry.

I never imagined that being pregnant was so exhausting. Cardan says it's just like that because I'm not used to being quiet.

And I hate him for being right.

I drop my hair and feel the weight on my head go away when I pull the clips. My swollen feet seem to thank me when I take off my shoes. I change my clothes quickly, putting on my nightgown and stop to face me in front of the mirror.

Am I doing the right thing? I've been wondering that for days. I returned to Elfhame at the worst possible time, but I know this is not my fault, since there was no way I could guess. A war is about to burst and I am the main target.

I have not slept right in days. My dark circles are proof of that.

I know that Cardan has been agitated too. I know he does not sleep either.

And yet, I do not think I can forgive him completely.

I look at my belly, at the life that is growing there, and I feel like crying. As if Faerie's chaotic scenario and all the threats against my life and the child I expect are not enough, there is also the fact that I am terrified that I am going to be a mother.

I put my hands on my belly, trying to feel anything, but it's still too soon. I feel stupid doing it, and yet the tears threaten to fall.

I do not know how to do it. I never had a mother. Even worse, Cardan never had a father either.

We will be a disaster.

He enters my room quietly at this very moment, and catches me crying in front of the mirror, still holding the small belly. The expression on his face is as sad as mine, but I know he's trying to be the strongest on this situation.

Damn, I like him so much. I should not, but I like him, and in moments like this I feel my heart tighten with the possibility of a life, a family, with Cardan.

Stupid girl. The last time I allowed myself to have these dreams he betrayed me the next morning.

“I talked to Madoc. He's on our side" I say, clearing my throat.

Cardan does not come any closer. He is still deciding whether or not it is worth putting his neck at risk again.

"How did you make him change his mind so fast?"

I smile, a sad smile, but that draws Cardan's attention.

“I told him I'm pregnant”

Cardan nods, understanding the reason. At that moment I think of how lucky I am to still have a family that, even with all the defects, fights for me. A family that cares.

I know how important this child is to Cardan precisely because of this. And I feel selfish to think that I want him to think of me that way. I want him to want me too, and not just the child I'm expecting.

Cardan walks a few steps and puts his hand over mine, lightly touching my belly.

"What's bothering you, my dear?"

I look into his black eyes, two wells that make me want to dive in there and never come back. Cardan has been so welcoming and I... Well, I let myself go sometimes. 

"Do you think I'm going to be a good mother, Cardan?"

He sighs and smoothes my hair with his free hand, a gesture so tender that my tears starts to fall.

"That's a question I can not answer, because I also wonder if I'll be a good father”. 

I bury my head in his chest, and Cardan holds me tighter.

"I wish my mother was here" I whisper.

“I know”. 

We stay like this for a long time, until I feel the tiredness reach me again. I let go of him, wiping my tear-stained face and looking at him. Cardan looks at me strangely, as if he's about to make a difficult decision.

He does not let go of my hips and when he talks I realize how tired he is too.

"There’s no problem if you do not want to have this child Jude.” he speaks.

I almost choke. His words takes me by surprise.

All these weeks I have believed that Cardan's concern, his insistence on my safety, and all the effort he has made to prepare for war was for the well being of the baby.

My heart starts beating faster. My tiredness is gone. I'm too alert to what's going on here.

The possibility that he might perhaps care for me snatches me, and I allow myself to have a little bit of hope.

Stupid girl. Stupid girl. Stupid girl. Stupid girl. Stupid girl.

“If you are having any doubts regarding this child, do not hesitate to do what you think is right”. 

He keeps staring at me with such intensity that it makes my bones tremble. I want so badly to cling to him again, I want so badly not to feel alone and miserable as I felt when I was in exile, as I now feel in the palace. I'm always surrounded by people, but I still feel alone.

Cardan does not sleep with me at night. I try to tell myself that I've chased him away because of the scene I made when I came back, and that this should be good. That I'm protecting my heart from breaking again. But deep down I can not stop myself from wondering if he does not prefer his bed heated by a different courtier each night. If he did not stop seeing me as a person and started to see me only as a belly.

Therefore, because of all my insecurities, I say:

“But I thought ... I thought you wanted this son more than anything”. 

And he smooths my face, touching me so gently as if he thought I might break.

"I want you to be okay, my love.

My heart races in my chest. I want to cry, and at the same time I want to stand. I've hurt myself before when I gave my heart to him so easily, and I do not want to make the same mistake again after hearing some pretty words.

But when Cardan kisses me, I know I've failed in this mission. I've given my heart to him a long time ago.

He holds my face gently and I raise my hands to grasp the back of his neck, feeling the soft skin beneath my fingers, feeling his curls slip into my hands.

It's the calmer, smoother kiss we've ever had. Nothing rushed and devouring like at other times.

He separates our lips and we stand with our foreheads touching, breathing slowly. We do not say anything for many minutes, until he looks me in the eye and speaks what I have secretly longed to hear.

"I love you, Jude”. 

My heart explodes in tiny pieces, leaving me broken, shaken, shattered. It's like I'm out of my own skin. My body does not know how to react with such a shock.

Cardan can not lie, so it must be true. He loves me.

I only have one reaction: to kiss him back, with more intensity. And in the middle of the kiss, I whisper back, over and over again.

I love you too, Cardan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as you guys asked, here is another chapter! I wanted to say that thats it, i'm not going to write another chapter to this fic, i only did it bc you asked in the first place, but it was never planned.   
> Actually i struggled a lot to write this bc i didn't had a plot in my mind so i just mixed some ideas i had about madoc finding out and about some conflictuos feelings from jude, and i got this.  
> hope you like it!!!!
> 
> actually, i got one idea that came to my mind just yesterday about mixing this universe with sarah j maas's universe, like, what if Elfhame had a calanmai???? have you guys read acotar? should i write this??? please, just tell me!!!
> 
> hope to see you soon!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if there's anything wrong, english is not my first language 
> 
> Feel free to suggest more !!


End file.
